ATTITUDES

Once more the disciples get bad press. They have a bad attitude. Even in the most spiritual of environments, humans never seem to rise above vying for position and prestige. Here the disciples are fantasizing over who would be greatest in God’s kingdom when it comes. They remain far from learning the true values of that kingdom. But then, has very much changed?

By contrast, Jesus acts as the patient teacher and gives them an object lesson. Jesus is invariably tender towards children, and they seem to have flocked around him quite often. The child represents those who have no reputation or standing within human affairs. Although no doubt loved by the parents, the child is of no importance in social affairs and should be seen rather than heard. Yet such an unimportant child is to be welcomed, not ignored or overlooked, but treated with care and  show consideration. Doing this is acting in Jesus’ name—that is, in his character. Those who can do so show that they have understood something about the kingdom in which standard social protocols are turned upside down: the least become the greatest (48). The carry-away for ourselves is “do not think of yourself more highly than you ought” (Rom. 12:3).

The attitudes in this passage are not confined to those within the band of disciples. They have come across someone who is “not one of us” (49). The outsider has nonetheless been casting out demons in Jesus’ name, without their accreditation! Yet Jesus exhibits a generous, rather than a sectarian, spirit, an attitude of permission rather than prohibition (50). The fact that he says virtually the opposite in Matthew 12:30 is worth pondering. His statement there is not a contradiction, and the difference of context should be considered.

Reflection: Do you think it is true to say that when our attitudes are wholesome we can usually discern how to respond correctly to others?